Europe
In defence of the EU
Eastern Europe is the graveyard of empires. Rome failed on the Danube, Napoleon on the Dnieper. The epic struggle between…
Judgment call: the case for leaving the ECHR
What’s to stop us leaving the ECHR?
You think British trains are bad? Try German ones
I found Jean-Pierre standing at a half-open window gulping down lungfuls of stale Dutch air as our night train chuntered,…
My verdict on Eurovision
I had the sudden suspicion, at about ten o’clock on Saturday night, that I was the only straight male in…
Europe is turning against net zero
Europe’s net-zero backlash
The EU is alienating eastern Europe
For most of its 66 years of existence, a vital part of the EU’s mission has been the inexorable expansion…
Does Ukrainian exist?
After six months of war in Ukraine, most observers agree that the roots of Russian aggression lie in the country’s…
Europe’s descent into deindustrialisation
The rapid economic collapse that Britain is facing is simply an accelerated version of what the whole of Europe is…
Will Meloni be able to govern Italy?
Mario Draghi’s national unity government lost badly in yesterday’s Italian election – worse even than the polls predicted. Fratelli d’Italia,…
Europe’s new migrant crisis
Earlier this month I spent a week in Sicily, driving south from Palermo to Agrigento and then east to Syracuse…
Europe’s looming energy wars
This summer marks a truce. But if, as expected, Liz Truss becomes prime minister, it is almost inevitable that tensions…
Ukrainians aren't surprised by Amnesty's victim-blaming
Is Amnesty International victim-blaming? The Ukrainian military has been endangering civilians, it said, by establishing military bases and putting weapons…
Viktor Orbán's Texas rodeo
Say what you want about Viktor Orbán, but he gives a good speech. His address on Thursday in Dallas on…
Is war brewing between Serbia and Kosovo?
Serbia and Kosovo are close to conflict. Of all things, a dispute over car number plates is threatening the fragile…
The next PM must be ready for Putin
Westminster is understandably obsessed with the question of who makes the final two of the Tory leadership race, but today…
How Justin Trudeau caved to Putin
When Russia invaded Ukraine, the West was certain that its sanctions were worth the pain. But there always was a…
The problem with euro-dollar parity
The euro is nearly level with the dollar. It should not matter in theory, because of the relatively low share…
Macron vs the deep state
French diplomats are on strike today. But will anyone notice? Not to be immodest, I am especially well qualified to…
How Russia wins
It is still too early to predict the outcome of the war in Ukraine. Russia has certainly solidified its position…
EU: normal disservice resumes
In the past few months, relations between the UK and the EU have been the best they have been since…
Michel Houellebecq may be honoured by the French establishment, but he’s no fan of Europe
For many years, Michel Houellebecq was patronised by the French literary establishment as an upstart, what with his background in…
Boris and Scholz parade the new Europe
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has changed Europe forever. That was the argument that Boris Johnson made on Friday when he…
Putin’s war is a disaster for Russia
Strasbourg Europhobes will never have a better argument against European integration than the seat of the European parliament in…
Why Hungary's opposition failed
Viktor Orbán has now spent a total of 16 years as Hungary’s Prime Minister but he has not lost his hunger…
Germany's progressives have a Putin problem
Eighty-nine years ago this week, the German Social Democrats in the Reichstag cast the only votes opposing Adolf Hitler’s dictatorial…
